Public Health and Safety

The Public Health and Safety pillar involves the protection and care of people and neighborhoods with public and private resources during times of both wellbeing and crisis.

The pillar covers a wide range of subject matters, such as wellness education, healthcare, social services, drug abuse, mental health, nutrition, law enforcement and fire protection, along with the multiple institutions that help individuals and communities to address their own unique health and safety needs.

Health disparities among individuals and neighborhoods are caused by complex factors. Health is about more than physical well-being. Health is determined by social and economic factors, the environment people live in, personal behaviors, as well as health care quality and access. Residents need access to resources, environments and opportunities that promote optimal health and well-being.

To help ensure Chicago’s public health and safety resources are made more responsive and proactive through We Will, the citywide planning process will initially focus on the conditions that are causing equity disparities. The process will inform efforts to create long-term solutions that consider gender, race, geography, age, income, work environment and other factors.

In addition to health disparities, individuals and neighborhoods are also unevenly exposed to violence than others due to multiple factors that can occur in an instant or over many years. The pillar’s public safety components will also assess the City’s law enforcement and criminal justice systems and work to identify ways to ensure that Chicagoans are served fairly and consistently citywide.

Acknowledging that the public health and safety pillar is influenced by a variety of personal and public issues, community conversations to date have involved a wide range of suggestions, including:

• Healthy food options should be convenient and accessible for every Chicagoan, either from stores, farmers markets, community gardens, cooperatives, or other sources.
• Food education and nutrition information should be made widely available from producers, vendors, and the business community to help people make informed decisions about their diets and food budgets.
• Healthcare and medical resources should recognize the unique needs of residents based on gender, race, income, and other unique criteria that will help inform the allocation of resources to groups and neighborhoods.
• Public spending should prioritize the health and wellness of underserved areas by focusing on schools, health care establishments, and other locations that help support the physical and mental fitness of residents.
• Public safety and justice-related planning efforts should seek to reduce recidivism and substance abuse while working to improve workforce development opportunities for people emerging from the criminal justice system.